Garden chair



Aug. 8, 1933. A EURlNG GARDEN CHAIR Aug. 8, 1933.

A. EURlNG 1,921,460'

GARDEN CHAIR' Filed May 16, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS [Nl/ENTORUw/.sEaR//JG BY y'amwlem A TTORNE YS A. EURING GARDEN CHAIR Aug. 8,`1933.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 16, 1952 f5 [N'l/ENTOR Hum/5r EUR/N6 WITNESSPatented Aug. 8, 1933 Stili 1,921,460 GARDEN CHAIR l Y August Euring,Richmond Hill, N. Y. g

" application May 16, i932. serial No. 611,461

e claims. (ci. 155-67) My invention relates to a chair and more'par-iticularly to a chair oi'the type which is adapted automatically toassume different positionsy ci inclination to provide a comfortablesitting yor lying posture for the occupant kor the chair. My inventionalso contemplates the provision oi a chair having a supporting structurewhich collapsible so that such supporting structure may be folded into acompact form when the chair is packed for shipment or for sale. A moreparticular object of my invention is tc provide a garden chair of thetype described which is characterized by the comfort afforded theoccupant thereof by the canvas member comprising the seat and by thesimplicity of the elements making up the supporting s ructure for suchcanvasseat, permitting the same to assume various degrees ci inclinationautomatically when the person occupying the lchair assumes a relaxedposition in the chair and leans backwardly into a semi-recliningposition. Further objects ofrmy invention will appear from thedescription hereinafter taken in conjunc? tion with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specication. I In such drawings, Fig. 1 isa front view ci my novel garden chair; Fig. 2 is a side view of thesame'showing the chair in upright'position and in a slightly recliningposition, which latter po siticn is indicated in such 'ligure indottedlines; Fig. 3 is a side viewoi the chair in fully reclining position ofthe seat member; Fig. fi is a top View of the chair in which thel seatmemm ber is in fully reclining position; Fig. 5 shows the standardssupporting the seat member drawn to a slight extent towards each otherso as to illustrate the spacing and bracing irame'con nesting suchstandards; Fig. 6 shows the standards in close proximity to each otherand the vspacing andbracing frame fully collapsed; Fig. 7 shows the seatmember for supporting the cam Vas in fully collapsed position; Fig. 8shows a detail of the spacing and bracing frame conn necting the twostandards in its spacing and bracing` position; Fig. 9 is a plan view ofthe spacing and bracing frame in its operative posim tion to space andbrace the two supporting standards; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan viewof the means for attaching the canvas to the seat frame; and Fig. 11 isafragmentary side View of the foot support Yand one of the links uponwhich such foot support is mounted.V Referring more particularly tothedrawings, inV which similar reierencecharacters identify similarVparts in the several views, the seat strucfl other. 4

ture is supported between two; standards 12, 12 extending upwardly fromtwo' angled runners 13, 13 having curled foot members 14, 14 at each endthereof.Y The standards 12, 12 are braced and held in a verticalposition by means of guy links 15, 15 each rivetted at one end to therun- 13 near an end thereof and secured at the other end to thevstandard 12, as by rivet 16. The upper end of each standard 12terminates in a curved extension 17 extending inwardly and downwardly,such curved extension being provided with apertures through which isadapted to be passed a bolt 18 so as to have the head 19 thereof abutagainst the surface of the curved extension 17 facing the center of thechair, or against the side of theY links `supporting the seatstructures, as hereinafter more fully described.y A wing nut 20 isprovided on the threaded end of the bolt 18 which has been passedthrough the outer of the apertures within the curved extension 17..

Referring rn re particularly to Figs. k5, 8, and 9, in which the spacingand bracingY frame connecting the two standards is illustrated ingreat-` ler detail, such spacing and bracing frame comprises two links21 and 22 secured at .their lower ends to the standards 12, 12 at 23 and24 about which points the links 21 and 22 are adapted to pivot. Atsuitable points 23 and 24 alongv the lengths of ther standards 12, arepivotally secured links 25, 26 connected respectively to links 22 and-21 by pins 27 and 28. The points along the lengths ci the standards 12at which the links 25 and 26 are pivotally supported` are determined bythe lengths of the links 21 and 26 and 22 and 25 respectively when suchlinks are brought. into alignmentv as hereinafter described, such fourlinks forming the spacing frame determining the distance by which thetwo standards 12 are to be spaced from each Pivotally mounted on the pin27, is a link 29y and pivotally mounted on the 28 is a link 3G. thelinks 29 and Si) being connected by a pin 31. Each 0i the links 21, 22,and 30 is provided at its free end with an angular lug 32, and 34.respectively, projecting at right angles from such link and adapted toengage recesses 35. 36. and 37, respectively, provided in the sides ofthe links 26, 29, andl 25. The recesses 35. 36, and 37 are positioned atsuch distanees from the pivotal points of the links that the projectinglugs which are to engage such recesses will be brought exactly inalignmentwith such recesses so asto'enter the same whenvthe links 21 and26er the links 22 and 25 are brought into alignment with each other' soto denne the spacing of the standards 12, 12 from each other. 1t will benoted that the pin 31 (see Fig. 8) is below the line oi centers oi thepins 27 and 2S. This feature produces a desired rigidity of the bracingframe when the same'is in its bracing position, as an overt act isnecessary to disengage the lug 33 from the recess 35 and any pressureexerted on any of the elements of the frame would tend to make it morerigid and efficient in its bracing action. A positive, as distinguishedfrom an unintentional, act is thus necessary to collapse the bracing andspacing frame.

When the spacing and bracing :framer just dei scribed is in itsoperative position, in which the component parts thereof are in therigid position illustrated in Fig. 8, the standards 12, l2 are spacedfrom each other to support between them the seat structure to which isattached the canvas forming the seat proper. When the spacing andbracing frame is in its collapsed position, the two standards 12, 12have been brought into proximity to each other as illustratedin Fig. 6.

The seat supporting structure comprises a pair of side members 37 and 38(Fig. l) and a second pair of side members 39 and 49 connected by pairsof links 41, 41 and 42,42, each of the former of which is pivotallyjoined to the upper ends of side members 39. and 49. The lowerconnecting links 42 are pivotally joined to the side members 39 and 40at a point removed from Vthe upper ends thereof, such connecting linksbeing also pivotally connected to the side mombers 37 and 38 Vat thelower endsthereoi. The connecting'members 4l and 42 thus form withportions of the side members 3'?, 38, and 39, 40 a parallelogram, theconnecting members 41, 42 being maintained in a horizontal position atall inclinations of the seat. As a matter of fact, the connectingmembers 41 retain their xed horizontal positions no matter what theinclination of members 37, 38 and 39, 40 (see Fig. 2). The connectingmembers 41 are supported from the belts 18 passing through the uppercurved portions of the standards l2 by means of links 43 and 44, link 43being pivotally connected to the member 41 at a point approximatelyintermediate the ends thereof and link 44, having a bend near the lowerend thereof, being connected at such end to the member 4l at a pointnear its front end. The seat structure is thus supported from the bolts1S in the space defined by the standards 12, 12, the structure swingingfreely upon such bolts and between said standards. While I haveVillustrated the links 43 and 44 as being mounted upon the bolts 18outwardlyof the curved portions 1'? of the standards, it is obvious thatthey may be positioned within such curved positions. 1nv such case, theaperture in the depending portion of the curved extension of eachstandard may be positionedslightly lower than the aperture in the otherleg of the curved portion, so that the bolt passing through saidapertures is somewhat inclined downwardly and inwardly. This inclinationof the bolt will prevent the creeping of the links 43 and 44 along thebolt as the seat supporting structure is swung.

The side members 37 and 38 are connected at their upper extremities by acircular bar 45, about which is passed the upper end of the canvas strip46 and is secured thereon by means of stitching 47. The canvas strip 46extends in a loose fashion from such bar 45 down to a wooden bar 48extending transversely between the side members 39 and 49 securedbetween the front ends of the links 42. The canvas strip 46 is passedabout such bar 48, joined to its upper expanse by stitching 49 and thenrearwardly to a transverse bar 50 about which it is passed and securedby stitching 51 (see Fig. 10). The bar 50 is supported at itsextremities by turn buckles 52, secured to a downwardly extendingportion 53 of the connecting member 42 (Fig. 2). A bar 54 serves tobrace the curved projections 53 and to space them from each other. Bymeans of the turn buckles 52, the toutness of the canvas seat 46 may beadjusted to any desired degree. It will be noted that such canvas seathangs loosely enough to be capable of conforming to the body of theoccupant of the chair so as to aiord the greatest possible comfort whilebeing capable oi adjustment to suit the particular taste of theoccupant.

Setween the lower extremities oi the side members 39 and 40 is mounted,by means of angle irons 55, 55 a foot rest 56 pivcted upon the ends ofsaid side members 39 and 49 so that it may be made to assume theposition thereof illustrated in Fig. 2 or that illustrated in 1ig. 11which is a more comfortable position when the seat is tilted backwardlyin its fully reclining position.

Upon the connecting members 41 are provided arm rests 5"?, 57 which maybe of wood or composition material. It will be noted, in connection withsuch arm rests, that the links 43 and V44 by which the swinging chairstructure is supported from the standards 12, 12, are both positionedforwardly oi the upper Vreaches of suchstandards. This construction addsconsiderably to the comfortaorded to the occupant oi' the chair,whetherin the sitting, upright, position ofthe seat, or in the reclining icoposition thereof, as it leaves a free space to the rear oi the standardssufficiently large to per-x mit a comfortable resting place for theelbow regions of the arms in. any position of the seat.

Upon each of the standards 12, 12 arev securely fastened in spacedrelation a pair of, bracket elements 5S, 58 through which may be passeda circular rod 59 having slidably mount-Y ed thereon an adjustable stopcollar 69 provided with a locking screw 61, the position of the collar60 determining the extent to which the rod 59 extends through the eyemembers 58. Upon the rod 59, at its upper extremity, ispivotallymounted, in any suitable manner, a wire frame 62 of square orrectangular.connguration, forming the'supporting skeleton for a shadeGB-ad Y instable to any Yposition above the chair, byY means of the rod59 and lock nut 59, and which may be turned to one side of the chair, asillustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, by pivoting the same about theupper extremity oi the' rod My novel chair is provided with means forMU" conguration of the notches in the lever V63 is T50' Y for packingand shipment is a feature of my invention. The particular means,including the spacing and bracing frame, connecting the` vsuch that thepin can ride outwardly fromany one of .said notches and engage the nextsucceeding notch as the seat is inclined. In order to release the seatfrom its fixed position at any degree of inclination, it is onlynecessary for the occupant to press the portion 66 of the lever 63,extending above the member 41, forwardly (see Fig. 2), thus disengagingthe pin 65 from the notch of the lever y63 With which it had been inengagement. Y l

My novel chair is characterized by a simplicity of construction andcompactness not present in chairs of the same general type asrepresented by prior art structures. It will be noted that my novelconstruction affords particular comfort to the occupant of the chair inany degreeof inclination of the seat. By reason of the fact that in mynovel construction, no part of the straps supporting the seat structureoccupies a position to the rear of the standards, sufficient' elbow roomfor the occupant of .the chair in any position, whether the uprightsitting position or the reclining position, is provided rearwardly ofthe standards.

It is to be noted also that the flexible seat member of the chair inaccordance withmy invention is free of any and all supporting memberspositioned directly underneath such seat, so that no portion of theframe is in direct contact with the canvas body forming the seat at anypart thereof and thus possibly interfere with the freedom of flexibilityof the canvas strip forming the seat member. The length of the canvas issuch that when it is almost flat, for instance, in the fully recliningposition, no part of the canvas strip is in contact with the back restbar 50. The seat is therefore extremely comfortable. l v

The compactness of my novel chair when the elements thereof aredisassembled and collapsed standardsof the supporting frame, is a novelfeature of my construction which I have described in detail but in whichvarious modifications, particularly in the arrangement of the severalparts, may be made -Without departing from my invention.

I claim: f

1; In a chair of the type which is adapted to assume different positionsof inclination. to provide a comfortable sitting or lying posture forthe occupant of the chair, the combination of a seat supportingstructure, a flexible seat member supported on said structure, a frameupon which said seat supporting structure is mounted for swingingmovement comprising two standards and a spacing and bracing frameconnecting said standards including a pair of links secured at theirlower ends pivotally to said standards, a second pair of links eachpivotally links dening by their lengths, when brought' into alignmentwith each other, the spacing of said standards, said first mentionedpair of links being provided at their free ends' with angular lugsprojecting at right angles therefrom, and

said second pair of links being provided with recesses in the sidesthereof at such distances from the pivotal connecting points of thelinks that the projecting lugs' on said first mentioned links willengage such recesses when one of the first pair of links is brought intoalignment With one of the second pair of said links and the second ofsaid first mentioned pair of links is projecting at right anglestherefrom and adapta ed to engage a recess in the side of said firstmentioned link portion when the two link portions are brought intoalignment, to brace the spacing links and vstandards by locking saidspacing links in rigid position.

2. A collapsible supporting frame for swing chairs comprising a pair ofstandards and a spacing and bracing frame connecting the two standardsincluding a pair of links secured at their lower ends pivotally tosaidstandards, a second pair of links each pivotally secured at one endthereofto one of said standards at a point spaced from the connection ofsaid first links with said standard and pivotally connected at pointsadjacent the ends of the first mentioned links to said links, said pairsof links delining by their lengths, when brought into alignment Witheach other, the spacing of said standards, said first mentioned pair oflinks being provided at their free ends with angular lugs projecting atright angles therefrom, and said second pair of links being providedwith recesses in the sides thereof at such distances from the pivotalconnecting points of the links that the projecting lugs on said firstmentioned links will engage such recesses when one of the first pair oflinks is brought into alignment with one of the second pair of saidlinks and the second of said first mentioned pair of links is broughtinto alignment with the other of said second pair of links, said spacingand Abracing frame including a bracing member comprising two linkportions pivotally connected at one of their ends to the pairs of linksspacing the standards from each other at the pivotal connecting pointsof said links, one of said link portions being pivotally connected atthe other end thereof to the second link portion at a point spaced fromthe free end thereof, said second link portion being provided at suchfree end with an angular lug projecting at right angles therefrom andvadapted to engage arecess in the side of said rst mentioned link portionwhen the two link portions Vare brought into alignment, to brace thespacing links and standards by locking said spacing links in rigidposition.

AUGUST EURING.

